Manuel Pinto da Costa
Encyclopedia
Manuel Pinto da Costa is a Santoméan
economist and politician who served as the first President of São Tomé and Príncipe from 1975 to 1991. He was again elected as President in August 2011 and took office on 3 September 2011.
Educated in the German Democratic Republic
, he is fluent in Portuguese
and German
. Until the early 1990s the MLSTP maintained extensive relations with Angola
and the MPLA, with Pinto da Costa himself having enjoyed a friendly relationship with José Eduardo dos Santos
, the President of Angola, extending back to when they were both young men.
In 1991, the legalisation
of opposition political parties led to the country's first election
under a democratic system. Pinto da Costa did not contest the election and instead announced he would retire from politics. The MLSTP did not present an alternative candidate and Miguel Trovoada
was elected unopposed. Despite his previous declaration, Pinto da Costa returned to contest elections in 1996
, but was narrowly defeated, taking 47.26% of the vote, by Trovoada. In 2001
, he ran against incumbent president Fradique de Menezes, who won a majority in the first round.
Pinto da Costa was elected leader of the MLSTP in May 1998. He resigned from the party in February 2005 and Guilherme Posser da Costa
was elected to succeed him.
In the July 2011 elections
, he ran as an independent. He won the most number of votes in the first round but failed to receive the required majority. In a run-off round on 7 August, he defeated rival Evaristo Carvalho from the ruling party Independent Democratic Action
, taking 53% of the votes. During the campaign, he focused on the need for political stability and promised to tackle widespread corruption. His bid was given the backing of most of the other major candidates, including former Prime Minister Maria das Neves
, who claimed "Pinto da Costa's plan could bring more hope to our country". Some analysts, however, raised concerns that the former president's victory may trigger a return to the authoritarian rule seen during his previous period in power.
São Tomé and Príncipe
São Tomé and Príncipe, officially the Democratic Republic of São Tomé and Príncipe, is a Portuguese-speaking island nation in the Gulf of Guinea, off the western equatorial coast of Central Africa. It consists of two islands: São Tomé and Príncipe, located about apart and about , respectively, off...
economist and politician who served as the first President of São Tomé and Príncipe from 1975 to 1991. He was again elected as President in August 2011 and took office on 3 September 2011.
Educated in the German Democratic Republic
German Democratic Republic
The German Democratic Republic , informally called East Germany by West Germany and other countries, was a socialist state established in 1949 in the Soviet zone of occupied Germany, including East Berlin of the Allied-occupied capital city...
, he is fluent in Portuguese
Portuguese language
Portuguese is a Romance language that arose in the medieval Kingdom of Galicia, nowadays Galicia and Northern Portugal. The southern part of the Kingdom of Galicia became independent as the County of Portugal in 1095...
and German
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
. Until the early 1990s the MLSTP maintained extensive relations with Angola
Angola
Angola, officially the Republic of Angola , is a country in south-central Africa bordered by Namibia on the south, the Democratic Republic of the Congo on the north, and Zambia on the east; its west coast is on the Atlantic Ocean with Luanda as its capital city...
and the MPLA, with Pinto da Costa himself having enjoyed a friendly relationship with José Eduardo dos Santos
José Eduardo dos Santos
José Eduardo dos Santos is an Angolan politician who has been the second and current President of Angola since 1979. As President, José Eduardo dos Santos is also the commander in chief of the Angolan Armed Forces and president of the MPLA , the party that has been ruling Angola since...
, the President of Angola, extending back to when they were both young men.
In 1991, the legalisation
Democratization
Democratization is the transition to a more democratic political regime. It may be the transition from an authoritarian regime to a full democracy, a transition from an authoritarian political system to a semi-democracy or transition from a semi-authoritarian political system to a democratic...
of opposition political parties led to the country's first election
São Tomé and Príncipe presidential election, 1991
Presidential elections were held for the first time in São Tomé and Príncipe on 3 March 1991, as previously the President had been elected by the National Assembly. Ultimately only one candidate, Miguel Trovoada, ran for office, and was elected unopposed...
under a democratic system. Pinto da Costa did not contest the election and instead announced he would retire from politics. The MLSTP did not present an alternative candidate and Miguel Trovoada
Miguel Trovoada
Miguel dos Anjos da Cunha Lisboa Trovoada was Prime Minister and President of São Tomé and Príncipe. Currently he is the Executive Secretary of the Gulf of Guinea Commission.-Background:...
was elected unopposed. Despite his previous declaration, Pinto da Costa returned to contest elections in 1996
São Tomé and Príncipe presidential election, 1996
Presidential elections were held in São Tomé and Príncipe on 30 June 1996. The election was contested by four candidates; incumbent President Miguel Trovoada, former President Manuel Pinto da Costa, Alda Bandeira, a former Foreign Minister, and former Prime Minister Carlos da Graça...
, but was narrowly defeated, taking 47.26% of the vote, by Trovoada. In 2001
São Tomé and Príncipe presidential election, 2001
The island nation of São Tomé and Príncipe held presidential elections on 29 July 2001. It was the nation's third presidential election since the introduction of multi-party politics in 1990...
, he ran against incumbent president Fradique de Menezes, who won a majority in the first round.
Pinto da Costa was elected leader of the MLSTP in May 1998. He resigned from the party in February 2005 and Guilherme Posser da Costa
Guilherme Posser da Costa
Guilherme Posser da Costa was Prime Minister of São Tomé and Príncipe from 1999 to 2001.Posser da Costa served as Minister of Foreign Affairs on three different occasions: 1987-1988, 1990-1991, and 1994-1996...
was elected to succeed him.
In the July 2011 elections
São Tomé and Príncipe presidential election, 2011
A presidential election was held in São Tomé and Príncipe in 2011, the first round beginning on 17 July 2011 with a run-off held on 7 August 2011. Incumbent President Fradique de Menezes has served the maximum two terms and could not constitutionally seek a third term...
, he ran as an independent. He won the most number of votes in the first round but failed to receive the required majority. In a run-off round on 7 August, he defeated rival Evaristo Carvalho from the ruling party Independent Democratic Action
Independent Democratic Action
The Independent Democratic Action is a political party in São Tomé and Príncipe. It was established in 1991 and is a politically centrist party....
, taking 53% of the votes. During the campaign, he focused on the need for political stability and promised to tackle widespread corruption. His bid was given the backing of most of the other major candidates, including former Prime Minister Maria das Neves
Maria das Neves
Maria das Neves Ceita Baptista de Sousa is a former Prime Minister of São Tomé and Príncipe.She is a member of the Movement for the Liberation of São Tomé and Príncipe-Social Democratic Party ....
, who claimed "Pinto da Costa's plan could bring more hope to our country". Some analysts, however, raised concerns that the former president's victory may trigger a return to the authoritarian rule seen during his previous period in power.